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Law requires bike registration, but some fail to comply
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Stolen bikes are unlikely to be returned, even if they are registered with the Department of Public Safety
By GINA GOODHILL
Contributing Writer
Approximately 200 bicycles have been reported stolen so far this semester, making bicycle theft one of the leading property crimes on campus.
Bicycle theft accounts for 35 to 40 percent of all property-related crimes, said John Matthews, the pro-
gram manager of Crime Prevention and Community Education for the Department of Public Safety. Once a bicycle is stolen, there are few steps that the university can take to recover it
“We don’t have the resources to investigate each bicycle theft," Matthews said.
The most effective way for students to protect themselves against
this crime is to properly secure their bicycles before leaving them unattended. he added. Matthews recommended using two locks to secure both the front and back wheel to stationary objects.
If a bicycle is stolen, however, it is difficult to retrieve it whether it is registered or not
Once any bicycle is reported stolen from a university location, DPS enters a bicycle, report into the Los Angeles automated computer system.
After that, DPS does not take any
active steps to search for the bike, Matthews said.
The most common way for a bicycle to be recovered is for the student to find his or her own bike, or for DPS Student Law Enforcement to find it. Matthews said. Student Law Enforcement will not look for a specific bicycle or serial number, he added.
Students should register their bikes because it is easier to prove ownership if a stolen bike is recovered, he said.
Many students, however, find
registration an unnecessary hassle, and choose not to register their bicycles.
"(Registration) doesn’t really matter because it’s not like they are going to catch the people. It’s a pain and there's no point... no one does it,” said Corey Wang, a senior majoring in communication.
The front tire of her unregistered bicycle was stolen, she said. She replaced it, but she said she still doesn't want to register.
Other students had similar views
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California
FRIDAY
5, 2003
Of interest...
Los Angeles River cleanup is step in right direction for local environment / 4
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HOW TO...
Volunteer lor a campus organization
By ALICE WALTON
Staff Writer
For students looking to get involved in community service, the Volunteer Center is one of the most helpful places to begin searching for volunteer organizations
"The role of the Volunteer Center is to really be a resource for students, faculty and staff to find volunteer opportunities across campus,” said Melissa Gaeke, director of the Volunteer Center.
One of the programs offered through the Volunteer Center is the Community Action Short-Term Team
CAST is an e-mail based program for students looking to volunteer on their own time. Students may apply to receive e-mails from CAST which tell them about various organizations looking for one-time volunteers.
More than 800 students participated in CAST last year, said Monica Tincopa, co-coordinator of CAST and a junior majoring in psychobiology.
"It’s good because you can volunteer on your own time without strings attached," Tincopa said.
Although CAST works with organizations in a variety of areas, the annual AIDS Walk and environmental clean ups seem to be the most popular activities, Tincopa said.
"You get to choose what you want,” Tincopa said.
This year, Tincopa and co-coordinator Felicia Haywood, a senior majoring in biology, are working to improve the program.
One tradition they are working to bring back is a welcome back barbecue for current CAST participants. The barbecue is likely to be held on campus Sept. 18 from 4 to 6 p.m. Students looking to get involved with CAST can also attend and fill out an application at the barbecue, Tincopa said.
Tincopa and Haywood are also working to have more contact with CAST members by organizing carpools to volunteer sites and monitoring how many students volunteer at each site.
Both Tincopa and Haywood began volunteering through CAST two years ago.
This year, CAST is also trying to work with other on-campus groups that are interested in volunteering Haywood said.
For example, this year, all on-campus residential advisers must fulfill a community service requirement during the semester. Together, RAs and CAST are work-
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Quick
Facts
More than 800 students participated in USC’s shortterm volunteer program last year.
About 20-22 students attend each Alternative Spring Break site every year
All Tearad Up. The recent wave of construction projects included cleaning this fountain in front of the Mudd Hall courtyard.
Mike
Williams
Administration spends millions on UPC and HSC construction projects
By SUSAN TAM
Staff Writer
The university has planned to spend several hundred million dollars on major construction for the University Park and Health Sciences campuses, a university official said.
The campaign began within the last two years, when administration officials created a development program to handle construction projects worth more than $2 million each, said Curt Williams, vice president of USC’s Capital Construction Development
Senior level administrators and the Board of Trustees planned the major construction projects, which included two new buildings, Williams said.
The two new University Park buildings planned are Tudor Hall,
located across from Parkside International Residential College, and the Molecular Biology building, near Kaprielian Hall.
Tudor Hall is expected to be completed in December 2004, and the Molecular Biology building is scheduled to be finished in the summer of 2005, Williams said. Both were started in June.
Another	office,	Facilities
Management Services, oversaw minor construction projects worth more than $28 million this summer, according to facilities statistics.
Some students said they were positive about the construction, despite the obstacles it creates.
“The new engineering building is kind of a pain because you can’t walk on the side walk, but it will be worth it,” said Ryan Kinslow, a sophomore majoring in mechanical engineering. “It’s not that bad — it will be nice to have new buildings.”
There are several ways to get into a building for class, so the construc tion “doesn’t really matter,” said I see CuatriicMow, page 14 l
Stadium will be under construction until Nov. 1.